At its first game in Los Angeles, the men’s national team drew spectators who weren’t coming for the soccer, but rather to protest the regime in Tehran.

© Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times

At its first game in Los Angeles, the men’s national team drew spectators who weren’t coming for the soccer, but rather to protest the regime in Tehran.

© Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times

The war had stirred doubts about the team’s participation in the tournament. It is set to play New Zealand in a Los Angeles area stadium on Monday.

© Andre Penner/Associated Press

The referee, Omar Artan, was turned away by immigration officials in Miami, but the governing body for soccer in Europe said he would officiate a high-profile club match in September.

© Khaled Desouki/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images